[Matplotlib-devel] SVG Tests on MacOS

[Rob McDonald]

I've finally had some time to return to my feature contribution and pull
request:

https://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib/pull/15458

I've added the pytest *.png and *.pdf baseline images, but I can't figure
out how to generate the *.svg ones on my machine (MacOS).  The CI test
framework passes on MacOS - but not on Linux.  This gives me a clue that
maybe the SVG creation only happens on Linux.

There aren't any SVG related dependencies in the build instructions online
(like for libpng).  There is one place where Inkscape <1.0 is listed as a
requirement to generate SVG's -- I have Inkscape on my machine (1.0beta2),
but I can't find any instructions to link it to MatPlotLib or to install an
older version.  'brew install caskformula/caskformula/inkscape' bombs out
complaining about 'inkscape: "cxx11" is not a recognized standard'.

It would be really great if one of the automated builds made the
matplotlib/result_images/* available as an artifact for download (if it
does already, I can't find it).  Both to provide a source for files that
can't be generated locally -- and, if something actually does fail, to
provide the visual debugging aid to the developer.  As it is, if a test
fails in the CI framework (say on a platform a developer doesn't have) --
that does not fail on the dev's local machine -- what clues do they have to
debug it?

It may be that real development of matplotlib can only be done on Linux --
but it would really help if the online docs were updated to make that
clear.  I've spent half a day trying to get everything moved forward, set
up, etc. for local development and testing -- only to come to the
conclusion (I think) that it can't be done on a Mac.  As far as I can see,
this isn't written down anywhere, but it seems to fit the situation.

Thanks for any help,

Rob
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